Contents

History

At least seven[2] of these ships patrol the skies of Republic City each day, searching the streets below for signs of crime. When AvatarKorra had her run-in with the Triple Threat Triad, officers of the Metalbending Police Force arrived in one of these ships to apprehend the triad members. When it became apparent to Korra that the police wanted to apprehend her as well, she and her polar bear dog, Naga, made a run for it. Although she easily outran the metalbending officers on foot, the officers in the airship were able to keep up and eventually successfully restrained both her and Naga in metal cables. They were suspended in the air under the ship by the cables and transported back to the police headquarters.[3]

During the pro-bending finals, airships were stationed above the arena in an attempt to prevent a threatened Equalist attack, in addition to patrol boats in the harbor. However, the attack took place in spite of these precautions, and the airships were destroyed by the Equalists.[5]

As the Metalbending Police Force prepared to investigate Hiroshi Sato's mansion, they used one of these airships to get to the Satos' home. After being defeated by the owner of Future Industries and the Equalists in a secret factory under the mansion, Korra, Lin, Tenzin, Mako, Bolin, and Asami used the airship to escape.[6]

During a purported Equalist protest in the Dragon Flats borough, Tarrlok had a number of these airships patrolling the area.[7]

Later, while the Equalists conducted their attack on Republic City, many of these airships were deployed throughout the city. One of the police force's telephone operators informed ChiefSaikhan that the police airship in "area seven" had been taken out by an Equalist airship, and had crashed into the harbor. Later, Tenzin witnessed a police airship on fire, rapidly falling from the sky.[2]

During the Harmonic Convergence of 171 AG, the police force was put on high alert by Avatar Korra's warning that Unalaq intended to merge with Vaatu in order to become a Dark Avatar. To protect the safety of the citizens, the police patrolled the sky with several of their airships, and PresidentRaiko oversaw his city from aboard one of these. However, the President's airship came under attack and was shot down by Unalaq, prompting all the Metalbending Police Officers aboard to use their bending to evacuate. The President left the ship with Lin Beifong, swinging to a nearby rooftop as the ship fell.[8]

Two weeks following Harmonic Convergence, Lin took a police airship to Ba Sing Se to warn Korra of the escape of the criminals Zaheer, Ghazan, Ming-Hua and P'Li. She later used her airship to rescue airbenders from the Earth Queen. After escaping Ba Sing Se, Team Avatar and Lin took her airship in search of more airbenders.[9] The first stop in their journey was Zaofu.[10]

Design

The design of these aircraft are very similar to the Fire Nation airships used during the final stages of the Hundred Year War. The large zeppelin-like vessels are structured primarily of metal and employ multiple propeller sets to move. The underside of the craft features a retractable metal panel on the side, which serves as the launch point for metalbenders who pursue criminals on foot. There is also a cockpit from which metalbenders launch metal wires from the inside of the ship, enabling the crew to apprehend criminals and fugitives from the safety of the craft. The ships are equipped with loud alarm horns and megaphones in order to signal the police's arrival and to make their demands known to those on the ground. These airships seem considerably faster and easier to navigate than Fire Nation airships.